Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-10-13
Committed Suicide.

Committed Suicide.
Tho Richland County Gazette pub
lished at Wahpeton, OAK, contained in
its issue of August 26, the following ac-
count of the suicide of Lester r Smith
which we publish by request. The
names of the parties mentioned will
be familiar to many of our readers.
! Tuesday afternoon message came
over the telephone wire from Brock
enridge that l.. Il. Smith had cut his
throat. Before particulars could be
obtained there were various rumors
as to the cause which had led to the
terrible deed, but it was at length
defnately learned that he had commit
| ted the fatal deed while in o delirium
/ resulting from fever. While in the
army Mr.. Smith suffered sunstroke
and since then, and resulting no doubt
from that, he has been afflicted with
periodical attacks of severe headache
which at times almost bereft him of
reason. He had just been to Chicago
to purchase stock of goods for the
new store which he was about to open
inipartnership with Mr.. Charles Oliver.
On his return he complained of loss of
sleep aud was confined to his bed with
one of his old attacks almost ever
since his return. He seemed to realize
that his mind was giving away, and ex-
pressed fear that he might harm HIM
self or others if weapons of any kind
were in reach The hallucnation which
seemed to have most entire possession
of him was that if he could remove the
top of his head it would give him relief
Tuesday afternoon about three o'clock
his wife who had been constant and
anxious watcher by his bedside, step
ped from the room a moment. her
daughter in attempting to enter the
room found the door fastened and
heard a peculiar dripping sound. She
called her mother who, running to the
window and looking into the room, was
Mortified to see her husband sitting in
chair with his throat cut. Her screams
soon brought assistance. the door was
forced, and Mr.. Smith was placed on
the bed the life blood gushing from two
horrible wounds in his throat, the razor
with which he had done the deed still in
his hand. Life was not extinct. Doctors
were sent for but surgical aid was of no
avail and he died atS o clock p. M. Lester
r. Smith was born at Broadbrook, Con-
necticut, November 4, 1874. Enlisted
at the beginning of the War in the 10th
Connecticut Volunteers and served until
its close. After the war he came to
Wisconsin and was employed by Mr..
Douglas Oliver, whose daughter he
Married in 1867. Moved to Brecken-
ridge in 1872 and was engaged in
various vacations, and in mercantile
business since then. January l, 1884,
his stock was burned, involving a loss
of $4,000 with only $4,000 insurance.
He went to Duluth for atime as inspect
CT of wheat, but soon returned. He
had made arrangements TO open a store
this month in Breckenridge, under the
firm name of Smith & Oliver, and had
returned from buying the goods for
stock Mrs Smith is a sister of ID.
Oliver and has large circle of friends
n Breckenridge and Wahpeton who
sympathize with her great loss. The
bereaved family consists of the wife
and two children.
The funeral is to-day at 2 p. NJ, I'M
der the auspices of the Masonic frater-
nifty of which body the deceased was
valued member He was also COM
rade of the Grand Army of the Republic,
Sumner Post G. A. r. of Wahpeton, of
which he was also a member. at their
meeting last evening decided to attend
the funeral in body.